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The right recipe can make candymaking easy as pie

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By Martha Sheridan, The Dallas Morning News Updated 10:09 AM Monday, March 15, 2010

Candymaking has a reputation for being time-consuming and difficult, but with shortcuts, it can be easy.

Even without candy molds, a candy thermometer or a free afternoon to devote to the enterprise, candy can become part of the modern homemaker’s repertoire.

“I do think people made candy more back in the day,” says candymaker Sharla Perry of Garland, Texas. “It was part of being a homemaker. I think that now people tend to bake more. I don’t know if candy seems daunting.”

Spring is a season for sweets. Wedding showers, receptions, Easter and more call for confections that can be color-themed to the event.

Making special-occasion candy is doable even for beginners.

But choosing the right recipe is key. Look for ones that can be customized to taste with favorite nuts, fruits or flavorings.

A hands-on candymaking class at Central Market in Dallas tackled Salted Butter Caramels that cooked for some 25 minutes to reach a precise 257 F.

Even under a professional’s guidance, one batch was too soft, and the caramel leaked through the shiny and crisp tempered-chocolate coating.

While watching perfect Chocolate-Covered Cherries pop out of their molds, some students agreed they wouldn’t be trying that at home. Hand-formed truffles and white chocolate candies with almonds, however, were doable and delicious.

For a toffee coating that cooks quickly, the Hershey Co. suggests heating Bits ‘O Brickle chips and corn syrup, and pouring it over snack mix.

After it cools, you can customize the mix with seasonal candy-coated chocolates.

Many home cooks are familiar with microwave peanut brittle.

A nut brittle also can be made in the oven. New Orleans chef John Besh’s version, which he uses in a fall greens salad, is almost irresistible to chileheads thanks to a kick of cayenne pepper.

There are plenty of shortcut truffle concoctions and fudge recipes. Fudge dipped in a good melted chocolate outshines one dipped in some of the waxier, less-flavorful melting barks.

Fondant sounds fancy, but easy no-cook versions can be flavored with quality extracts, colored and wrapped around bits of fruit or nut and dipped in chocolate.

It’s rewarding to see people enjoying candy she has made, Perry says.

“You see people trying a piece, and you see the expression on their face change when they realize it’s more than just a piece of chocolate,” she says.

It’s a treat that was handmade — and that makes it special.

Recipes:

TOFFEE POPCORN

8 cups popped popcorn (microwave reduced-fat butter flavor works fine)

2 cups miniature pretzels

3/4 cup peanuts

1 (8-ounce) package Bits ‘O Brickle Toffee Bits (no chocolate added; toffee bits only)

1/2 cup light corn syrup

Candy-coated chocolate kisses or Easter eggs (optional)

Preheat oven to 275 F. Grease a large roasting pan. Place popcorn, pretzels and peanuts in prepared pan.

Combine toffee bits and corn syrup in a heavy medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook and stir until toffee is melted. This takes about 12 minutes.

Pour mixture over popcorn mixture in the greased pan. Stir until evenly coated.

Bake 30 minutes, stirring frequently to distribute toffee coating and to keep it from sticking to the pan.

Remove from oven. Stir mixture every 2 minutes until slightly cooled, about 10 minutes. Cool completely.

Stir in optional chocolate candy. Store in an airtight container in a cool place.

Makes about 12 1-cup servings.

PER SERVING: Calories 261 (40 percent fat) Fat 12 g (5 g sat) Cholesterol 5 mg Sodium 410 mg Fiber 1 g Carbohydrates 37 g Protein 4 g

SOURCE: Hershey Co.

FRUIT AND NUT BALLS

1/2 cup dried apricots

1/2 cup blanched almonds

1/3 cup raisins

5 ounces white chocolate

1/3 cup dried coconut

Line a cookie sheet with wax paper. Chop the apricots, almonds and raisins very fine or whiz them in a food processor.

Melt white chocolate (see sidebar). Then stir in chopped fruit, almonds and coconut.

Gather together about 18 bits of the mixture to form into small balls. Put the balls on the cookie sheet and let them set for 1 to 2 hours. If mixture seems runny at first, chocolate may have been overheated; wait for mixture to cool and it will gather together more easily to be rolled into balls.

Makes 18.

Note: Other add-in options include cornflakes, rice cereal, chopped dried fruit to taste. Drizzle balls with additional melted white chocolate, if desired.

PER PIECE: Calories 93 (47 percent fat) Fat 5 g (2 g sat) Cholesterol 2 mg Sodium 9 mg Fiber 1 g Carbohydrates 11 g Protein 2 g

SOURCE: Adapted from Children’s Quick & Easy Cookbook (DK Publishing, 1997)

EASY MACAROONS

1 (14-ounce) package shredded coconut

1 (14.5-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

2 teaspoons vanilla

Green food coloring (optional; see Note)

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.

Mix ingredients, adding food coloring until mixture is desired intensity. Drop from a teaspoon onto prepared cookie sheet and bake 10 to 12 minutes. Cool slightly; remove to rack.

Makes 3 1/2 dozen.

Note: Turn these cookies into Easter nests by adding green food coloring to the mixture. Gently push Easter egg candies, such as candy-coated malted milk eggs or speckled jelly beans, into center of each macaroon.

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